Parents' Guide to

Marie Antoinette

By Cynthia Fuchs, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Teen queen rocks out in punk-scored biopic.

Movie PG-13 2006 123 minutes
Marie Antoinette Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

  • 2:15
  • A close up of Kristen Dunst, most of her face shielded by a white hat and a fan.

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age 14+

Based on 9 parent reviews

doctora
doctora Parent of 5-year-old
June 1, 2022
age 14+

Stylish stunner!

A luscious film. The music is lovely, especially Adam Ant's "Kings of the Wild Frontier"...absolutely appropriate and Siouxsie and the Banshee's "Hong Kong Garden". A regal song for a regal scene. Dunst captures the naiveté and youthful exuberance of the indulgence of Versailles in the 1780s and 90s. True to many biopics we seem to run to a screaming finish although it is not shown, we all know how this story ends and her relationship with her children is a bit stunted in the film, but then again the film is about her not them. The pastel colors pop and although everyone is having a decadent good time, we all know that it is all coming to a crashing end.
F Letcher
F Letcher Parent of 14-year-old
March 2, 2022
age 15+

Superficial and pointless

Apart from the gorgeous costumes and highlighting the decadence of the era, this film had little to offer. Dunst does well with the script she is given but there's just no substance to the plot! The whole film revolves around whether MA's husband will have sex with her to produce an heir. She doesn't accomplish anything and very little else happens. I don't recommend.
See all 9 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In 1768, at age 14, young "Antoine" (Kirsten Dunst) is sent from Austria to France to cement "the friendship" between the two nations by marrying the 15-year-old French dauphin, Louis-Auguste, soon to be Louis XVI (Jason Schwartzman). She's stripped of all remnants of her previous life and instructed by the supremely efficient Comtesse de Noailles (Judy Davis). In Austria, she's introduced to shy Louis-Auguste and his randy father, Louis XV (Rip Torn), and soon learns that royals get to do whatever they want, as long as they perform certain public duties. While Marie (her new moniker) and Louis present a facade of marriage at official functions, at night, he's too uncomfortable to consummate the union. Marie is ever aware that it's her "job" to seduce the king and produce an heir. She's reminded by her assigned French "aunties" (Shirley Henderson and Molly Shannon), letters from her mother (Marianne Faithfull), and advice from attentive Ambassador Mercy (Steve Coogan). Finally, two years later, Marie's brother Joseph (Danny Huston) arrives to "speak to" Louis in a way that inspires him to get his duty done.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (9 ):
Kids say (14 ):

A thoughtful, sometimes-playful retelling of the story of Marie Antoinette, Sofia Coppola's film focuses on the doomed queen's adolescence. The punkish titles and soundtrack and the luscious pastel color palette depict the girl queen as a product of her times, living up to official expectations while also rebelling in whatever small ways she can manage.

Less concerned with plot than with context, the film reveals Marie's changing sensibility in gloriously detailed images and glances as she gains confidence and poise, ultimately being crowned queen at 19. Increasingly troubled by her "bad press", Marie is eventually undone by history. The film alludes only briefly to the French Revolution and the fall of Versailles. Omitting both Louis' and Marie's beheadings, the movie leaves her looking slightly sad as she departs from the palace. She is, as ever, resigned to her role as the public face of a monarchy bound to fall amid demands for republican government.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the movie's take on the famous 18th-century queen, presenting her as a raw teenage girl rather than a tyrannical royal. How can you tell that Marie feels isolated in her new court? Why does she get so caught up in shopping and partying? How is her behavior like that of today's teens? How is it different? How would you feel if you were in her position? Is it realistic to expect teenagers to rule a country? How do Marie and Louis XVI come to appreciate each another's limitations and support each another in the face of increasing criticism and -- eventually -- rejection by their subjects? Also, what do you think of the movie's music (which is unusual for a period piece)? Is it jarring or exciting?

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